world NEWS

Last year's organic growth -- which strips out the impact of acquisitions and currency swings -- was the company's weakest since it began recording the measure in 1996 and missed even the lowest estimate of 2.6 percent in a Reuters poll of analysts.

The increase will bring Amazon's total number of permanent French staff to 7,500 in 2018 and reflects confidence in the economy of a country where the Seattle-based retailer invested over 2 billion euros since 2010, the company said in a statement.

Japan's core machinery orders tumbled in December at the fastest pace in more than three years and companies expect orders to rise only marginally in January-March, raising concerns that recent gains in capital expenditure may taper off.

Amazon's market value — its closing share price multiplied by the number of shares outstanding — rose to $702.5 billion on Wednesday, and for the first time passed Microsoft, which is worth $699.2 billion as of the close of trading.

CNBC has learned that Amazon Lending, which launched in 2011, ultimately found a partner in Bank of America Merrill Lynch, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because the alliance is confidential.

The two leaders confirmed in phone talks on Wednesday night there would be "no meaningful dialogue" unless North Korea agreed on "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization," the ministry said in its statement.

Florida's two U.S. senators, briefed by federal law enforcement officials, said the assailant wore a gas mask as he stalked into the school carrying a rifle, ammunition cartridges and smoke grenades, then pulled a fire alarm, prompting students and staff to pour from their classrooms into hallways.

The United States needs to be creative in how it insists India on signing the foundational agreements, which the US considers important for enhanced bilateral defence cooperation with India, a top American commander told lawmakers today.

The allowance is believed to be a considerable boost on an estimated 5,000 pounds a week figure initially permitted by the court following a judgment of the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) in Karnataka last year.

Indian resources conglomerate Adani Enterprises Ltd is looking to buy mines in countries such as Indonesia, a company executive told Reuters on Wednesday, despite its struggles to develop a controversial coal project in Australia.